Irving Penn

Penn was first known as a fashion photographer and worked in this field for several years with Vogue magazine. Penn constructed bizarrely angled backdrops to create an austere, enclosed space; the sense of physical confinement bringing out interesting reactions in his subjects. Penn recalled in his 1991 book "Passage"; ‘This confinement, surprisingly, seemed to comfort people, soothing them. The walls were a surface to lean on or push against.’ The set up did bring a sense of drama to the portraits, driving the viewer's focus onto the person and their expression; in many photos, the subjects appeared wedged into the corner. 

Penn was a master of studio lighting; however often opted for natural light. For working on location, Penn created a portable studio with a skylight, set to face north with impressive results. 

As well as people, Penn also photographed still life, using the same composed style with carefully considered arrangements.